Boston, Cooke Headline Naismith Midseason Team
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Reigning National Champion South Carolina seniors Aliyah Boston and Zia Cooke are among the 30 players named to the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s Midseason Team, the Atlanta Tipofff Club announced today. South Carolina is one of four teams with two entries on the list, including three SEC schools that account for six of the 30 entries.
The reigning Naismith Trophy winner, Boston continues to shine in her senior season, especially against the toughest competition. Her season averages of 13.5 points and 10.0 rebounds skyrocket in the Gamecocks five games against ranked opponents to 17.4 points and 12.2 rebounds per game. A true team player, she is also second on the team in assists in those games. For the season, Boston is fifth in the nation with 16 double-doubles, including a current eight-game streak. Her SEC-best .593 field goal percentage is 15th in the nation, and her 10.0 rebounds per game are 10th in the country. According to Her Hoop Stats, among those playing at least 20 minutes per game, she is fourth in the nation with an SEC-best player offensive rating of 138.5 and third in player defensive rating at an SEC-best 64.6.
Cooke’s 13.8 points per game have her ranked 13th in the SEC and include 16.3 points per SEC contest. She is shooting a career-best 39.9 percent from the field, including 10 game shooting at least 50.0 percent from the field. She is the Gamecock’s top scorer and has led the team in scoring 10 times, hitting double figures 18 times through 23 games this season. In addition to her scoring production, Cooke is handing out 2.1 assists per game and has been especially locked in defensively.
The Naismith Trophy candidates will be narrowed down to 10 national semifinalists in early March, and four finalists will be named on March 21, 2023. The winner of the 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy for Women’s Player of the Year will be announced on March 29, 2023.
No. 1/1 South Carolina is back on the road Thursday, traveling to Auburn for an 8 p.m. ET tipoff on SEC Network+ before returning home to host No. 3 LSU in a sold-out Colonial Life Arena on Sun., Feb. 12, on ESPN.
Stay tuned to GamecocksOnline.com and the team’s social media accounts (@GamecockWBB) for more information on the 2022-23 season ahead.
2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy Women’s Midseason Team
Aliyah Boston, Sr., F, South Carolina
Cameron Brink, Jr., F, Stanford
Leigha Brown, 5th-Yr., G, Michigan
Caitlin Clark, Jr., G, Iowa
Zia Cooke, Sr., G., South Carolina
Monika Czinano, 5th-Yr,, F/C, Iowa
Aaliyah Edwards, Jr., F, UConn
Rori Harmon, So., G, Texas
Mackenzie Holmes, Sr., F, Indiana
Jordan Horston, Sr., G, Tennessee
Rickea Jackson, Sr., F, Tennessee
Ashley Joens, Sr., G/F, Iowa State
Diamond Johnson, Jr., G, NC State
Haley Jones, Sr., G, Stanford
Deja Kelly, Jr., G, North Carolina
Elizabeth Kitley, Sr., C, Virginia Tech
Ta’Niya Latson, Fr,, G, Florida State
Charlisse Leger-Walker, Jr., G, Washington State
Taylor Mikesell, Sr., G, Ohio State
Olivia Miles, So., G, Notre Dame
Diamond Miller, Sr., G, Maryland
Alexis Morris, 5th-Yr., G, LSU
Aneesah Morrow, So., F, DePaul
Charisma Osborne, Sr., G, UCLA
Alissa Pili, Jr., F, Utah
Angel Reese, So., F, LSU
Maddy Siegrist, Sr., F, Villanova
Alyssa Ustby, Jr., G, North Carolina
Hailey Van Lith, Jr., G, Louisville
Madi Williams, 5th-Yr., F, Oklahoma
